A John Scofield-inspired take on Oleo

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 23 Nov 2018 2:55 pm

I call it Scoleo. A Sonny Rollins tune, Oleo, which is based on I Got Rhythm. In order to play jazz, you have to master the blues and rhythm changes. I have a long way to go.

Iâ€™m incorporating some new techniques Iâ€™ve been working on. New solutions to old problems. Most important for me is playing the way I hear it in my head.

https://soundcloud.com/user-570354922/s ... -mike-neer

R. E. Miller · Post by **R. E. Miller** » 23 Nov 2018 6:52 pm

Steamin' take. The modulation sounds very Scofield but has it's own unique (maybe a little Leslie'ish?) flavor. What is it?

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 24 Nov 2018 7:56 am

The modulation is pitch detuning. I was strongly influenced by jazz guitar in the 80s (Scofield, Stern, Frisell, Metheny) and I unapologetically love modulation.

When I started listening to Buddy Emmons playing jazz tunes (way before I ever considered playing steel), I found his picking patterns really interesting and I wanted to explore that for guitar. However, fast forward 30 years and I am much more interested in playing steel and playing my steel like I did guitar.

On a tune like this, really uptempo, itâ€™s hard to put together long, interesting lines just using a lap steel. Iâ€™ve made a lot of adjustments in technique and thinking (harmonically) to make it work. The tendency is to want to make all the changes, but even the greats sort of summarize the changes and emphasize or redirect it.

Anyway, lap steel playing keeps me out of trouble.

R. E. Miller · Post by **R. E. Miller** » 24 Nov 2018 8:43 am

Wild. Definitely has that "Still Warm" Scofield pitch twist thing happening (Without the nasty ProCo bark). Not your everyday CE-2 sound, though. I'm more on the dry, angular side of things like McLaughlin era Miles, but I must admit I had a certain fascination with Stern's "Upside Downside." On the melodic front, I feel your pain. The intervallic aspect of the steel (pedals or not) seems to be the ever present tension, especially in this neighborhood. The desire for ever widening chord voicings at odds with denser melodic lines. I suppose that's a good thing as long as the challenge drives you to the woodshed. I really dig where you're headed with it.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 24 Nov 2018 9:23 am

R. E. Miller wrote:Wild. Definitely has that "Still Warm" Scofield pitch twist thing happening (Without the nasty ProCo bark). Not your everyday CE-2 sound, though. I'm more on the dry, angular side of things like McLaughlin era Miles, but I must admit I had a certain fascination with Stern's "Upside Downside." On the melodic front, I feel your pain. The intervallic aspect of the steel (pedals or not) seems to be the ever present tension, especially in this neighborhood. The desire for ever widening chord voicings at odds with denser melodic lines. I suppose that's a good thing as long as the challenge drives you to the woodshed. I really dig where your headed with it.

I took some guitar lessons with Mike while he was making Upside Downside.

I like a clean sound too, of course, but for this I was thinking Electric Outlet.

Todd Clinesmith · Post by **Todd Clinesmith** » 24 Nov 2018 9:31 am

Yeah Man!

Bo Parker · Post by **Bo Parker** » 24 Nov 2018 10:10 am

Great stuff!

Scott Thomas · Post by **Scott Thomas** » 24 Nov 2018 10:36 am

Two of my favorite albums from the late '80s were Stern's Time In Place, and Scofield's Loud Jazz (I caught him when we was touring it too). So I hear that in your piece there. I also hear a little Emmon's Redneck Jazz. I think it's a pretty exciting direction. Your fluidity sounds synth-like!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 24 Nov 2018 11:44 am

Nice Mike.

you inspired me to work on the melody and see how it lays out on the eharp neck . The hardest part for me is getting the rhythm right. It has all those notes on the upbeat, and eighth note rests. Haven't quite got it yet. the tune lays out well on the eharp, most melody notes on one fret.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 25 Nov 2018 5:52 pm

Scott Thomas wrote: Your fluidity sounds synth-like!

What Iâ€™m doing there is very keyboard-like, comparable to the way an organ player might play a fast run.

Nelson Checkoway · Post by **Nelson Checkoway** » 26 Nov 2018 8:22 am

Really nice, Mike. And your quote from Monk's "Rhythm-A-Ning" was simply Steelonious!

Bob Watson · Post by **Bob Watson** » 26 Nov 2018 11:21 pm

Sounds good Mike!

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 27 Nov 2018 3:53 am

That is steamin,' and yes it sounds much like an organ, a great sound for what you're doing.

(What follows on Soundcloud is really nice.)

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 30 Nov 2018 4:04 pm

Very nice Mike. I'm a big Sco fan as well. I love Past Present. Work up a version of Slinky.